The other day I took part in a demo of a boat for wakesurfing. It was fairly chilly out and for the first demo; I was the lone brave soul to plunge into the icy water. Minus the right equipment, it was a bit of a shock getting in but I toughed it out.

Compared to what surfers go through north of me, my day was a breeze. So hats off to you my cold water brethren!

As for surfing in locations further north than Florida…I must say that I really miss the waves in North Carolina and northwards. Florida takes some manliness to surf because the vast majority of the breaks require a load of paddling. But there is something about the waves up north. The pack a punch minus the fifty duck dives.

So watch The Wild Lyfe crew pull into a few mid-Atlantic drainers. With a few snow flurries to weed out the less than dedicated.

Imagine one day you are on top of the world. Then suddenly, like an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs, you are reduced to playing at Finkys Bar. Cursing Soundgarden, Mudhoney and Nirvana. So is the cycle of life.

If you are surfing small waves and learning; any wave seems to be the one to pick. However, as you gain skill and take on larger waves, there are certainly situations that one completely wants to avoid.

When I was gaining experience as a kid in Hawaii, the Uncles would pull me aside and give me some pointers.

Eh, nevah go fo da first one!

Some people allow frustration to set in and move inside the pack and hope to pick off some small ones. If it is sizable or you are in the Pacific and surfing places prone to getting clean up sets then that is the wrong move.

The other factor is the size of the waves in the sets. The first ones can be breaking a lot further in than the last ones and they can be half the size. You would rather be out further where you can dodge the clean up sets and take off on the bigger ones. Or at least in a position to high tail it towards the channel!

This poor guy went for the first wave and you can see what happens. You can see the other surfers a lot further out and he gets to practice his underwater gymnastics.

So play it smart and save yourself and your board from taking a beating!

Art of Noise came out in the 1980s and helped to push things such as sampling. I love this video because in this day and age, children and power tools would make OSHA (or any other safety organization) lose their marbles!

So without further adieu, I present Art of Noise – Close to the Edit.

Sorry Ms. H. for the reckless destruction of the classical instruments!

Being that I came back from my trip to Brazil ages ago; I would say that this story was long overdue!

So what is a pousada? A pousada is basically an inn or a bed and breakfast. A privately owned small hotel. The interesting thing about Brazil is that regulations are pretty lax so if you have some money and a good location then you can quickly find yourself as a owner.

If you are traveling in the northeast and you want to venture beyond the major cities, staying in a pousada is your only choice. Hiltons and Holiday Inns do not exist beyond the major cities. So to experience the stress free towns with beautiful beaches; one must roll the dice and find accommodations.

As one can imagine, your experiences will vary. I have stayed in some that were top notch while others were hampered by poor management or poor decision making. Some had great food options and some seemed to be under construction while we were guests. Nothing beats hearing the sounds of hammers while you are trying to relax.

My last trip to Brazil, I believe I stumbled upon two of the best in Ceara. They were in two opposite ends of the state of Ceara and they were complete opposites in scale. Yet, the two owners shared a lot in common.

Both firmly understood presentation. Both were owned by artistic individuals. The smaller pousada was filled with handcrafted items and the walls were adorned with vibrant colors. The vibe was very casual and you felt at ease on the property. The larger pousada was owned by an artist from Spain. He turned his property into a mini gallery and the property was adorned with fine works of art.

The second thing that both set of owners understood was that they are in the hospitality business. So they worked hard to ensure that the guests felt comfortable and cared for. The owners of Encontro das Aguas frequently chatted with us and one night they decided to drive to the neighboring town. So they invited us out and drove us into town to eat pizza with them. So we not only stayed with them…we made a new set of friends who we will visit again for sure!

To the South!

Aguas Belos is a small coastal town south of Fortaleza. This is the home of Pousada Encontro das Aguas. The pousada is located right in one of the town squares so there always are groups of the residents sitting at tables talking and enjoying a beer or two.

Across the street is a beautiful inlet and beyond that is the scenic beach. We fished for a while and enjoyed the natural beauty. The area also has the more common things to do in Ceara such as taking a tour on the dune buggies. To be honest, I enjoy sitting with a few local fishermen compared to driving around the dunes but riding in the buggies is very popular in the northeast. The locals were friendly and one guy helped us undue the mess in our handline rig.

If you are looking to visit an area in which you will not be hounded by vendors and that offers a peaceful stay then this town is what you are looking for.

This is Encontro das Aguas:

The path along the bungalows.

The pool!

The breakfast dining area.

More than just owners! …Friends!

To the North!

Ahhhhhhhhhh Lagoinha! Being a surfer, I am more partial to the northern beaches such as Paracuru and Lagoinha. This town offers the same hassle free beaches and relaxation along with fun surf spots and kiteboarding.

Pousada do Sol is a grand pousada and even has a very large resort styled restaurant and pool bar in the front area. But it is the house itself that makes the difference.

The building is adorned with artistic creations from the owner and the inside is almost like an art gallery. His creations are A+ and I felt tinges of jealousy looking at how he incorporated artwork into his landscaping. His pencil idea was a huge hit to me.